Glenn Beck is Right: Evangelical Lutheran Church is Bad News

Rev. CJ Conner, author of "Jesus and the Culture Wars," submits the following:

When Glenn Beck pleaded, "I beg you. Look for the words "social justice" or "economic justice" on your church Web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can," he raised the virulent ire of "progressive" Christians.

Many congregations and people are already running as fast as they can in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. At least 160 congregations have left the ELCA since their August decision to ordain practicing gay pastors in the name of social justice. Many of these churches are 10-30 times the size of the average 110 member ELCA Congregation. But gay ordination is not the primary reason they are running for the exits.

The 6,000 member Calvary Lutheran Church in Golden Valley Minnesota has decided to begin severing ties with the ELCA. At the heart of their decision is "The ELCA's emphasis on formulating and advocating numerous political and social positions, which has gone beyond the scope of the mission of the Church." And, "At ELCA synod conventions, instead of focusing on how to share the good news of Jesus Christ in the world, they have acted more like the platform committee of a political party or political action group." They are leaving because this pre-occupation with the "progressive" political agenda "causes division" and "distracts our church away from keeping the 'main thing' the 'main thing'."

Beck is right.

An analysis of the ELCA national website shows that words like salvation, repentance, and grace are outnumbered 2-to-1 by phrases like "social justice" and "advocacy." The ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson shares a common agenda with President Obama- an agenda finely honed at the Saul Alinsky church-based community organizing center, Gamaliel, in Chicago- where both men got their start on their road to power.

There was a reason why Alinsky dedicated his book "Rules for Radicals" to Satan.

The so-called "Mainline Church" has been on the forefront of the "progressive" movement that has so bitterly divided the nation. From their policies against Israel, to their feverish advocacy for "health care and immigration reform", to their advocacy for gay marriage, unfettered abortion rights, and a whole host of policies long associated with communist regimes rather than the Christian Church, "progressive" denominations like the ELCA have been leading the charge for years to divide and conquer America, impose their utopian views, and destroy American freedom.